1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a technology for acquiring log information about an image processing apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, an image processing apparatus called a multifunction product (MFP) that has functions of a printer, a facsimile, a copier, and a scanner in one casing has been well known. Such an MFP includes a display unit, a print unit, and a read unit within one casing, and has applications corresponding to the functions of the printer, the facsimile, the copier, and the scanner whereby the MFP can be operated as each of the printer, the facsimile, the copier, and the scanner by switching between the applications.
Because such an image processing apparatus is operated by various applications and modules that execute an operation based on a computer program, a problem can occur in the image processing apparatus due to software defect. When a problem occurs due to software defect, it is difficult to analyze a cause of the problem from the appearance of the image processing apparatus, and therefore it is necessary to analyze log information that is stored upon an operation of software.
Because an analysis operation is often performed such that log information is acquired by using a personal computer (PC) connected to the image processing apparatus in which the problem occurs, it is necessary to secure an area where the PC is to be mounted. Therefore, it is difficult to perform the analysis operation at an office of the user, or the like, where the image processing apparatus is installed. Furthermore, because a work for connecting the PC to the image processing apparatus is troublesome and it takes a long time to start up the PC, it is difficult to use the PC, resulting in decrease in efficiency of trouble analysis.
Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2006-94174 discloses a method of acquiring log information in which a portable nonvolatile memory, such as a universal serial bus (USB) memory or an integrated circuit (IC) card, is directly connected to an image processing apparatus and log information is stored in the portable nonvolatile memory, so that the log information can be acquired without connecting the PC to the image processing apparatus.
However, in the above method, because the image processing apparatus controls the log information to be written in the portable nonvolatile memory, the image processing apparatus needs to include a specialized computer program for writing the log information.
Moreover, because operation timing is different when an operation of acquiring the log information is being performed and when an operation other than the operation of acquiring the log information is being performed, there is concern that a bug (trouble) does not recur, and therefore the above method cannot be used for the purpose of trouble analysis in some cases. Specifically, although the image processing apparatus does not perform an operation relating to a sending operation of the log information before the operation of acquiring the log information is performed, the image processing apparatus performs preparation for a writing operation (the image processing apparatus performs configuration if the writing operation is to be performed on a USB memory) or performs the writing operation by using a predetermined data transfer method (bulk transfer, or the like) when the operation of acquiring the log information is performed. Therefore, timing at which a normal operation (image forming operation) is performed is affected by the operation relating to the sending operation of the log information.